Air Tractor AT-502B accident near Marvell, Arkansas, July 12, 2006
On July 12, 2006 at about 4:11 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-502B, registered N90614, was substantially damaged in an accident near Marvell, Arkansas. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance with terrain during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 12, 2006 · about 4:11 pm local time
- Place
- Marvell, Arkansas
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-502B
- Registration
- N90614 · registry record · serial 502B-0592
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 17,000-hour commercial pilot was attempting to depart from a private grass airstrip in a turbine powered single-engine agricultural airplane with a full load of chemicals on a local aerial application flight. During the initial takeoff and climb to the east, the airplane's landing gear collided with a levy at the departure end of the 3,000-foot long airstrip, and the airplane subsequently impacted the ground. There was no fire and the pilot was able to egress the airplane without injury. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, reported the airplane sustained structural damage during the impact with terrain. The pilot reported to the inspector that he had accumulated approximately 4,000 hours in the make and model and about 100 hours in the last 90 days. Performance data for the flight could not be determined due to the unknown particulars of the flight. An automated weather station, located approximately 25 miles from the accident site, reported winds from 190 degrees at 11 knots, and a temperature of 89 degrees Fahrenheit. The density altitude was calculated at 2,116 feet.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 17,000 hours in all; 4,000 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 9,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Marvell AR
- Destination: Marvell AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 3,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 4:20 pm from KUTA, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N90614 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number DFW06CA182.